Flashlights are commonly carried in automobiles and trucks for use both within and outside of the vehicles. This use of general purpose type flashlights, however, has typically been productive of and accompanied by problems. For example, flashlights powered by non-rechargeable batteries, when stored over substantial periods of time in car trucks and glove compartments, often lose their charge so to be rendered inoperative when an occasion arises for which they are needed. Flashlights provided with an electric cord and plug adapted to be plugged into cigarette lighter sockets for power can only be used within the range of the cord length.
As exemplified by those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,306, 4,327,401 and 4,422,130, flashlights have been developed with rechargeable battery adapted to be recharged by being plugged directly into electric sockets so that the flashlight itself becomes mounted to the socket. These too, however, have had their problems. For example, where the plugs are for AC socket insertion, they are structurally obtrusive for normal flashlight operation. For this reason the U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,306 device was provided with a removable cover for the plugs and why the U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,130 device was provided with a hinged handle that could be positioned over the plug for normal use. In addition, as best illustrated by the U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,401 flashlight, these type of lights are normally quite small and low powered. Indeed, they commonly are referred to as "night lights" where they are used in homes and as "map lights" where they are used in vehicles. This size limitation is inherent in their design, i.e. they are mounted by means of sockets that themselves are not designed to support significant weight. In addition, they protrude outwardly from the socket bearing wall such that they are very susceptible to being accidently struck. In the confines of a car cabin, they would also create quite an obstruction were they to be made of a substantial size so as to produce a substantial light.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed at providing a flashlight for vehicular use which may be readily mounted and dismounted within the vehicle cabin for recharge and use in a manner that mitigates the just described problems.